Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) suspended construction permits for the Mariner East 2 pipeline due to a number of safety and environmental violations.1 Mariner East 2 is being built by Sunoco Pipeline, L.P., an affiliate of Energy Transfer Partners, and has been marred by numerous construction mishaps, spills, and violations already. In response, David Turnbull, Strategic Communications Director at Oil Change International, released the following statement:

“Just as in Ohio and Michigan in recent months, Energy Transfer Partners and its affiliates now in Pennsylvania continue to show a reckless disregard for the environment and communities as it rabidly builds its pipelines across the country. Communities like those at Camp White Pine along the Mariner East 2 route in Pennsylvania are rising up against Energy Transfer Partners, and rightly so.

“Energy Transfer Partners pipelines are disasters for the climate, dangers to our communities, and risky for investors. States like Pennsylvania are right to push pause on the dangerous construction, but should go one step further and halt these projects for good.”

Additionally, Elise Gerhart, resident of south central Pennsylvania and co-founder of Camp White Pine2 released the following statement:

“This halt was not a gift from the governor’s office. It was won by a group of residents who demanded it. As always, the responsibility of putting a stop to ETP’s dangerous practices will continue to fall on people living under a government who refuses to protect us.

“This order does not hold ETP accountable for the damage they have already done, or the crimes they have committed. It does not bring clean water to those who have already lost it. It does not bring justice to those whose rights have been violated, including our environment. Now is not the time to sit back and bask in a false sense of relief. It’s a time to push back with everything we have left.”

“The Department of Environmental Protection’s temporary suspension of Sunoco’s permits is a toothless act that falls far short of providing any real protection to communities in the path of the Mariner East 2 pipeline. The company has demonstrated itself to be indifferent to public health, safety, and property rights and to the regulatory process. It’s time for the DEP to shut down this unnecessary and dangerous pipeline once and for all.”